Cycling advice.

[Squirtle =)]

Hey Guys!

So I haven't been able to find any clear ammonia to cycle my filters

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of a good way to cycle?

I know I can use prawns but was wondering if this would give me a good result and how many I would need for a 150G? some say 1 for 10gal other 1 for 40gal:dk:

I have 2 tanks sames size but thinking of using just one to cycle all the filters in would this not matter too much? 2 of my 3 filters are semi seeded but the canister is not!

I was thinking of using feeder gold fish as a last resort what ever lives I will get a tank for them to enjoy there the rest of there life If I do so, Also treat the water daily etc

Maybe place an add in the trade section for some seeded media or clear ammonia?

Anyone have any ideas Heads going to blow up soon:wb: lol!

Thanks in Advance!

P.S I love these smiles :lol:

 

[bigbird]

what do you wish to use your tanks for ?
I usually set up a new tank with filters, use live bacteria that you can get at any LFS, let it run for 4days, then slowly place some small amount food in the tank, use an airstone, then do your waterchanges. Over time the it will slowly cycle, I would wait another 4 days add some food then 4 days none then again some food. After 3 weeks would add some dither fish and after 6weeks it should be cycled. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Squirtle =)]

Thanks for that sounds like a good idea, I plan to keep discus in one and americans in other.

So add something like sera niverk and then some food every few days?

Thanks JK

 

[bigbird]

good luck. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[D-MAC]

I know you can get Waterlife products in Australia...They do a product called Biomature, it is a product for feeding filters in a fishless cycle.
http://www.waterlife.co.uk/seaquariums/biomature.htm

 

[Squirtle =)]

Hey D-MAC

I haven't heard/seen of it before I will check after work for it on some of the online shops they seem to have a better supply.

I was going to use this

http://www.sera.de/en/products/freshwater-aquarium/water-conditioning-and-maintenance/sera-bio-nitrivec.html

with 10 - 15 gold fish per a tank just to be safe!

But if i find the product you suggest I will give it a shot!

Thanks greatly appericate the help.

 

[Mooo]

Seachem Stability is the best for bacterias in a bottle..

 

[jessonthenet]

I don't think it matters what type of ammonia you use to cycle a tank, I have always just added fish flakes and waited.

Lots of people use plain household ammonia, nothing fancy. I do think a lot of these things in bottles specifically to cycle tanks can be a bit pricey and do the same job.

I think getting your ammonia around 2ppm is ok and I know sometimes people add too much and it stops the cycle, my readings have never went over 2ppm and my filters took a couple of weeks to cycle.

The more water the better , waste will be diluted more, you shouldn't have to take longer to cycle because of the water volume, it will be based on the amount of waste product there will be. Greater the concentration of waste product will require more bacteria so more cycling involved more ammonia added and larger amounts of media to maximise the amount of bacteria.

This would be IF you wanted to stock large amounts of heavy waste producing fish as soon as possible but you shouldn't do that anyway.

Grow enough bacteria over a couple of weeks by adding prawns, fish flakes or ordinary household ammonia. Once your readings are zero add just a few fish and increase your stock gradually over the next few weeks and the bacteria will eventually match the waste produced. Be careful to check a few days after adding an ammonia source to see if there are any nitrites and that the cycle has even started.

Not sure this makes sense! I know what I mean. I might of missed something out.

 

[Squirtle =)]

Thanks Jess! U killed it

well I have 2 filters seeding in my tetra tank better then nothing.

Then I am going to get some gravel that comes with water that apparently contains live bacteria inside the bag.

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=4778&catID=100

Then lets of prawns and fish food hehe.

I kind of need to put a big load in at once as the fish I plan to keep need to setup camp and grow up with one another and build a peeking order otherwise any other fish added later well occur as a threat or dinner!

Thanks again

 

[bigbird]

if you add to many fish at once, then you will get a spike. be careful. good luck with that gravel, i would be very wary. cheers jk :thumbup: